


gonna try, with a little / sing out of tune

by mayachain



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: mcsmooch, Earth, M/M, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-04-21
Updated: 2009-04-25
Packaged: 2017-10-05 19:10:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayachain/pseuds/mayachain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's not that Kaleb Miller dislikes John Sheppard. And Samantha Carter most certainly is not worried about him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. gonna try, with a little

  


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It's not that Kaleb dislikes John Sheppard. He doesn't. He believes in pacifism, true, and he definitely wishes his brother-in-law weren't involved in dangerous shenanigans that cause crazy people to kidnap Kaleb's wife for leverage. But he is happy for Jeannie that she and Meredith have reached a stage where he voluntarily comes to visit. She hasn't necessarily been happier since they've started talking again, but she does seem more balanced. And if Meredith wants to bring a friend, a colleague, a bodyguard, who evidently isn't talking much to whatever he may have of a family, than that is fine, too. So it's not that Kaleb dislikes John Sheppard. But.

He wishes the Colonel would just hurry up and drink the coffee Meredith insisted he have so that Kaleb can drive him to the airport. The man has been grumpy all morning, positively ill-tempered ever since his phone had woken them all up at seven a.m. Yes, it's unfortunate and inconvenient and, in Madison's words, "totally mean", that he has to cut his vacation short because his superiors have questions for him. That's no excuse, however, to behave in a way Kaleb would have expected from Meredith, to use more sarcasm than Jeannie during her third month of pregnancy and to aim his sneers even at Madison.

It's a relief, therefore, when Sheppard puts his cup down and cuts short Meredith's cascade of scorn over an Air Force that "forces one of their greatest pilots to resort to utterly inadequate transportation". Madison's hair gets ruffled apologetically, and Kaleb is glad that she has never learned to hold a grudge the way Meredith and Jeannie can. Jeannie herself merits a brief hug and a "Thanks for having me" that sounds far too thin and young to be coming from a veteran of at least two wars.

Then John and Meredith are left standing in front of each other on the porch, only their feet and John's duffle between them. "_It will be fine,_" Meredith insists, the words maybe finally penetrating for their quietness instead of his previous lengthy shouting of the same. "See you in a bit," John mumbles, and before Kaleb can blink, Meredith has been subjected to a brief peck on the cheek and John has shot into the passenger seat, is strapping himself in and waiting for Kaleb, beet-red.

Meredith just stares after him, looking every bit as astonished as the Millers. Kaleb's feet carry him to the car out of their own volition, the ignition is turned and the Mercedes is sliding onto the road before his mind catches up to him.

To his right side, John is awkwardly craning his neck, trying to peek into the rier-view mirror without appearing to. Kaleb glances back as well, and therefore sees Meredith still standing there, touching his cheek where John kissed him. He doesn't fight his grin as Madison steps up to her uncle and resolutely maneuvers his right hand toward his mouth and then, calculating the angle perfectly, blows Meredith's farewell kiss after them before Meredith can quite get with the program.

John huffs a laugh, and he's still red in the face, but the frustrated trepidation in his eyes is gone, replaced by - happiness? Merriment?

It's probably a good thing, Kaleb thinks as he rounds the corner off to the main road, since they're obviously going to be more of a family than he'd previously thought, that he doesn't dislike Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard at all.

  


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	2. sing out of tune

  


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It's not that Samantha Carter is worried about John Sheppard. She isn't. After all, the man had managed to stay calm all throughout yesterday's four hour meeting when he could have used far more sarcasm than irony and stepped over dozens of invisible lines during 231 minutes of intense questioning. And while Landry had noticed how tense Sam had been, Sheppard had kept his nervousness tucked firmly away, in some place where only those who knew him well could catch a tiny glimpse. Contrary to what some of the brass might have wished for, he had emerged from the meeting with all limbs attached, his command intact, and no official reprimand. But.

For a man whose life should be pretty damn good after all that, today he has been bouncing back and forth from irritated to jittery all morning, most of which he has spent at the firing range. From the looks on their faces, it seems as if he has thoroughly terrified SG-5 in the process. So Sam may not be worried, precisely, but she still thinks it prudent to lure him into a long lunchtime conversation with her team.

The SGC's marines and scientists probably think nothing of it, of Atlantis' Lieutenant Colonel charming Vala and talking pilot trash with Cam. Jackson doesn't seem to look too closely, either, leaning back in his chair and having fun. Sam, however, believes that she actually _does_ know Sheppard better, and if Teal'c were to ask the question in his eyes, she'd be ready to say that it feels as if John is _scared_.

She had worked closely with him, with both of them for over a year. It should not have taken Rodney walking into the room for her to work out that Sheppard's nerves get increasingly worse with the approach of McKay's ETA.

Silence descends on their table, and Sheppard's look is of someone caught in a headlight. Sam can feel Cam's eyes on her, questioning, and it's only a matter of time before the rest of the Cafeteria senses something is wrong. A quick shake of her hand, a rush of gratefulness for years of experience with _this_ team runs through her as Mitchell throws an arm over Jackson's shoulder, Vala's shout of delight drawing attention away from John.

Rodney, of course, has also recognized the way Sheppard seems poised for flight. "Hey," he says awkwardly as he walks up to their table carefully, including the members of SG-1 with a glance. He comes to a halt about a foot away from John's chair, and Sam doesn't know what is going on here. She can only watch as he squares his shoulders and bows his head in a manner Sam has seen before, has used herself, the last time she'd said goodbye to Teyla.

There is a short moment where Sheppard just stares, but Sam can see the neurons firing behind his eyes, and then he is on his feet, gripping Rodney's shoulders with no outward hesitation. The whole cafeteria is watching as John leans forward, and down, and only stills when Rodney's forehead is touching his hair.

Sam really hopes that this looks like the gesture all of the SGC know as an Athosian custom to everyone else. Already there are people whispering, dozens of eyes staring at the two men, and it would be really great if they would all interpret this as an eccentricity to be expected of long-term Lanteans. Sam can feel Daniel vibrating with excitement over the implications, knows that he has already started composing a paper that will convince the brass that that is all it is. From the shine in Teal'c's eyes, Cam's shit-eating grin and the smile on Vala's face, Sam thinks that there are a few people beside herself that come close to understanding what it really means.

But she is probably the only one looking closely enough to see the way the tip of Rodney's nose ghosts over the bridge of Sheppard's, right before he breaks the embrace and starts complaining over the trip and all the cups of coffee he hasn't had. _The nerve_, Sam thinks, anxious and, okay, a bit worried. John laughs and refuses to go get one but he is _glowing_, now, right under the eyes of zealous scientists, the Marine Corps and the Air Force, and Sam... Sam can't help but feel proud.

  


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End file.
